Valentine Road Directed by Marta Cunningham, 2013

In February 2008, a classroom shooting shattered the town of Oxnard, California. A 15-year-old lay dead and a 14-year-old awaited trial for murder. Was this a hate crime, retaliation for unwanted flirting or more complex?

An effeminate biracial boy pushing a young white supremacist to his breaking point made great headlines and drew attention to the plight of LGBT teens. But it only scratched the surface. Marta Cunningham picks up where media coverage left off, exploring the paths of victim Lawrence King and his killer, Brandon McInerney. Family, friends, teachers, classmates, attorneys, law enforcement, and mental health professionals discuss the aftermath of the tragedy.

Cunningham unravels the narrative that links Larry and Brandon. Both were troubled and grew up in difficult homes. The film raises key questions facing communities all over the country: what do you do to help kids before violence occurs –what do you do after you’ve failed?